Pueblo leads Colorado in dog bites

More people are bitten by dogs in Pueblo than any other place in Colorado. That is according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

More than 450 people are bitten by a dog every year in Pueblo.

Catherine Martin was bitten by her own dog almost five months ago.

Her boxer, Peanut, bit her on the bicep and finger.

“When it happened, it was like a little bigger of a bite,” she said.

Sarah Bruestle works for the Pueblo City-County Health Department. She said at least one person goes to the emergency room every week for a dog bite in Pueblo.

She said she tells dog owners to get their pets their shots.

“It’s very important that dogs get vaccinated for rabies. That’s something we want to protect our pets from since we know rabies are in bats, skunks, raccoons and foxes,” she said.

As the weather warms up, Bruestle said people should be on the lookout.

“Many dogs in pueblo are out roaming around, they’re not on a leash and they’re not fenced in,” she said.

As for Martin, she said she and Peanut went through a rough patch, but her dog is like family.

If you want to get your dogs vaccinated, the health department suggests calling your veterinarian or taking them down to the Pueblo Animal Shelter.